British Airways Olympics ad tells Brits not to fly during London 2012

British Airways has launched a new tongue-in-cheek London 2012 ad campaign urging Brits not to fly during the Olympics.

A new TV ad, created by BBH and soundtracked by The Clash's London Calling, encourages the nation to stay at home and cheer on British Olympians instead of going on holiday during the Games.

It shows an aircraft taxiing through London's roads on the way to the Olympic Park, before ending with the line: "Don’t Fly. Support Team GB and ParalympicsGB".

The airline says it created the ad after carrying out research that showed thousands of Brits have juggled holiday plans to be in the UK for the Games.

The TV ad premiered on Facebook this morning and will be screened on television for the first time tonight during England's European Championships clash with Ukraine.

Print adverts carrying similar messaging will be placed in national papers and on 48 sheet outdoor posters.

The campaign will also be supported online and in social media, using the hashtag #HomeAdvantage to encourage chatter on Twitter.

In an online version of the advert on the British Airways Facebook page, users can input their postcode and watch the aircraft taxi down their street.

Frank van der Post, British Airways managing director of brands and customer experience, said: “We’re rallying the country to get behind Team GB and ParalympicsGB to capitalise on home advantage. Whether it’s delaying your summer holiday, finding where to get behind the country with our ‘best sports bars abroad’ guide, or cheering them on at Park Live at the Olympic Park – we are encouraging every extra clap and cheer we can get.”